The Houston Rockets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 128-111 in a recent game. Jalen Green and Van Jordan had outstanding performances, while Whitmore, coming off the bench, became a key player, effectively filling the void left by the absence of Ison. The contrast between Whitmore (referred to as the "White Wizard") and Shepherd was particularly evident, with Shepherd scoring only 1 point in 18 minutes, while Whitmore scored 27 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 26 minutes, shooting 9 for 16 from the field and 4 for 8 from three-point range.
Coach Udoka's positioning of the two players is somewhat similar. Previously, when Whitmore was in the G League, Shepherd averaged only 10 minutes per game. His main task was not to come off the bench as a backup point guard but to be used as a spot-up shooter, with the ball still in the hands of Van Jordan and Shen Jing. However, Shepherd has too many passes that shift responsibility because he is afraid to shoot and plays safe to maintain stability. Defensively, Shepherd's physique does not meet NBA standards, and it can be said that whenever teams face the Rockets, they single out Shepherd for one-on-one play.
Offensively, Shepherd lacks tactical status, and even if given tactics, his body cannot execute them. Defensively, he has become a weak point. Currently, Shepherd really needs to go to the G League for training. This is not to look down on Shepherd, but rather to say that if you force him to stay with the Rockets, you cannot perform simple tasks well; he cannot even dominate weaker opponents. In today's victory, Shepherd had a plus-minus of -13, meaning the team lost by 13 points when he was on the court. What more can be said? It would be better for him to go to the G League to find confidence and then give opportunities to Whitmore. If not playing as an organizer, then use him as a shooter and defensive specialist, in which case Whitmore would completely outclass Shepherd.
Looking at Whitmore's performance over the past three games, with Ison injured, Whitmore's statistics have been steadily improving. He first scored 11 points against the Raptors, shooting 5 for 10, and performed exceptionally well in the crucial fourth quarter. This earned him recognition from Udoka. In the second game against the Hornets, Whitmore scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, followed by his 27-point performance against the Pelicans today. According to data from the media outlet STATMUSE, Whitmore has averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 23 minutes over the past three games, with a shooting percentage of 50% and a three-point percentage of 44.4%.
Don't mention that Shepherd has less time, because Whitmore also has limited time. This season, Whitmore has played 12 games for the Rockets, averaging 8.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12 minutes, with a shooting percentage of 45%. As for Shepherd, he averages 3.6 points in 12 minutes with a shooting percentage of 32.2%, and his proud three-point shooting percentage is only 27.9%. Positionally, Shepherd is not qualified as a shooter, and he should not be forced into the lineup just because he was the third pick. In fact, Udoka has given Shepherd plenty of opportunities, but he still insists on using him.
However, after the game today, Udoka has come to recognize reality. He is increasingly disappointed with Shepherd. At the start of the season, Udoka would still talk about Shepherd, but recently, he has become too lazy to mention him. If not for being the third pick, Udoka would have sent him to the G League long ago. On the other hand, Udoka's view of Whitmore is growing increasingly favorable. In the previous game, Udoka said that Whitmore contributed the firepower lacking in the Rockets' bench, and after today's game, Udoka praised Whitmore again, saying that with Dillon and Ison not playing, Amen and Whitmore stepped up, especially Whitmore.
Udoka's evaluation is: "Whitmore always maintains freshness and is ready at any time. He is a player who can immediately impact the game. So it's really great to see such a performance from him."
Udoka previously did not like Whitmore's playing style because it was too individualistic, but after training in the G League, Whitmore corrected his flaws. Even Van Jordan highly praised Whitmore. Van Jordan said that Whitmore's way of playing, maturity, and focus are all excellent. Ultimately, Whitmore is effective when he steps onto the court; his 2.03-meter forward physique is there for all to see, while what can Shepherd contribute at the moment? His development cycle is too long, and the Rockets have no time to level him up.